Latest News

Simon Phipps

Simon Phipps became a founding trustee of the charity due to his concern that a decline in farming and land management was impacting on the beautiful landscape of the High Weald, and the hope that he could in some way help to influence future land management to preserve the historic landscape character of the area, and the biodiversity that stems from it. Simon enjoys practical hands on work in the countryside, but working in London and a busy family life limits what he can do. So the opportunity to join the trust, to fund raise and support the projects of others seemed a great opportunity.

Having lived for many years in the London suburbs, Simon nonetheless came to appreciate the Wealden landscape from an early age thanks to many a day trip with his parents down the A21 to Sissinghurst and Bodium castles, Ashdown Forest, Rye, Tenterden and many other lovely places. Those tantalising glimpses of small meadows, hop fields, woodlands, gill streams and sandstone outcrops that you see as you travel along ridge roads, or those steeply sided winding country lanes, like tunnels in the summer, with their canopy of trees, have always drawn Simon back to the area, and he now, happily, lives on the edge of the High Weald in Tonbridge.